Lubricating-system indicator.



G. W. MORRIS.

LUBRICATING SYSTEM INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10. 1914.

1,168,953. Patented Ja11.18,1916.

' SHEET 2.

2 SHEETS- G. W. MORRIS.

LUBRICATING SYSTEM. INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I0, I914.

1,168,953. Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

GEORGE WILLIAM MORRIS, or RACINE, WISCONSIN.

LUBRICATING-SYSTEIVI INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 18', 1916.

Application filed October 10, 1914. I Serial No. 866,030.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Monnrs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lubricating- System Indicators, of which the following is a description, reference being had to. the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an indicator for lubricating systems of the type covered by my co-pending application for Letters Patent Serial No. 860,151, filed September 4th, 1914, with improved details of construction for rendering the piston operated indicating member more sensitive to the influence of pressure in the lubricating system and to insure the pulsating movements thereof incident to the intermittent operation of the lubricant pump.

Another object of the invention is to improve upon details of construction whereby the indicator may be manufactured at less expense and the close fitting parts may be made independent of the casing for convenience in manufacturing and adjusting the same. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a return drain for such lubricant as may find its way past the stem of the indicator.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the lubricating system indicator as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawmgs in which like characters of reference indicate the same arts in different views; Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a lubricating system indicator exemplifying this invention, the parts being shown in the position indicating lack of pressure in the lubricating system. Fig.2 is a similar view thereof with the parts in the position assumed by them under normal pressure of the lubricating system. Fig, 3 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of a "lubricating system indicator also exemplifying this invention, the parts being shown in the position indicating normal pressure of the lubricating system.

In these. drawings 10 indicates a tubular casing preferably arranged inclined as shown with a vertical faceplate 11 adapted to be secured to the dash board of an automoblle or other part to which the indicator is to be attached, and 12 is a nipple forming a pump connection threaded into the lower end of the casing and adapted to be connected witha pipe leading from the lubricant pump, not shown, while 13 is a nipple constituting a lubricant pipe connection threaded into the side of the casing near the bottom thereof and adapted for connection with a pipe for conveying the lubricant to the parts of the engine or other mechanism to be lubricated.

A cylindrical tube 14 forms a projection at one end of the nipple 12 extending into the casing 10 with a tubular plunger 15 slidably fitting thereon and having a closed end wall 16. A slot or outlet opening 17 near the lower end of the tube 14 is covered by the tubular plunger 15 when the latter is in the lower position as shown in Fig. 1, but when, subjected to the pressure of the lubricant pump so that it is forced thereby to its upper position shown in Fig. 2 the plunger uncovers the slot or opening 17 and allows the lubricant to pass out therethrough into the interior of the casing 10 from which it flows through the nipple 13 to the parts of the engine or other mechanism to be lubricated. The air entrapped within the dome shaped tubular plunger serves by its compression and expansion' to make the flow of lubricant from the casing more constant and also insures the reciprocation of the plunger with each impulse ofthe lubricant pump. A screw plug 18 is threaded into the upper endof the casing 10 and has a stem 19- slidably passing therethrough, the lower end of the stern beingsecured to a screw plug 20 threaded 1n the upper end of the tubular plunger 15 by means of set nuts 21 threaded on the stem against the screw plug 20. A flange 22 on the stem 19 carries a gasket 23 to be seated against the lower end of the screw plug 18 and prevent the escape of pressure around the stem. A knob or button 24 is secured to the upper end of the stem to indicate the'position o determining the two positions of the knob 24 a cup shaped sleeve 25 is formed on the plug 18 surrou'ndingthe knob and is of such hei ht that in the lower position of the kno said knob lies beneath or approximately flush with the upper edge ofthe f the plunger and for convenience in readily a sleeve and while in the upper position of the knob it'stands above the upper edge of the sleeve, thus permitting the position of then.

I knob to be determined by feeling with the hand at night as well as by bein the day time. In theevent of the ubricant being forced past the stem 19 into the cup shaped sleeve provision is made for draining. it through a drain opening 26 leading from the bottom of the sleeve 25 to a pipe connection 27 which will convey it to the drip pan ofthe engine or any other desired place of discharge.

In operation, the pressure of received from the lubricant supply pump serves to maintain the tubular plunger 15 a in its upper position where'it uncovers the outlet opening 17 to 'permit the fiow of lubricant therethrough to the mechanism to be lubricated, such position of theplunger being known to the operator by the position of the knob 24. The form of thetubular plunger is such that it constitutes an air domein which the a r is compressbd and permitted to expand with each pulsation of the oil from the lubricant supply pump and consequently the supply of oil is more constant and theplunger and the knob do not remain quite stationary in their upper position as shown in Fig. 2 but show the pump pulsations as long as the supply of lubricant under pressure continues normal. When however there is a failure of the lubricant supply from any cause such as the supply of lubricant becoming exhausted or a faulty operation of the lubricant pump the plunger descends withdrawing the knob 24;, within the sleeve 25, thus indicating to the operator that the lubricating system is no longer effective. The construction of the parts is such that the careful fitting of the plunger with relation to the tube 14 and the fitting of the stem withln the plug 18 may be made independent of the casing 10 and therefore the device may be more economicall'y manufactured than when the casing itself constitutes-a cylinder with a piston fitting therein.

, In Fi" 4 a modification of the invention is shown wherein the tube 14 is made independent of the nipple .12 and consists of a tube with a flaring or bell-mouthed lower end held against a flaring seat 28 by the tapering end of the nipple 12'. opening 17' inthe tube 14: is covered or uncovered by the tubular plunger 15' as before but in the present case there is no direct connection between the tubular plunger and the indicator stem. Instead the.

casing 11 is bored out for a short distance at its upper end and has fitted therein a cup shaped piston 29 with water packing grooves in its outer surface, said piston resting upon the tubular plunger-15 and having the end of. the indicator stem 19 seen in lubricant Thebearing thereon. The indicator stem 19' passes through a cap 18 threaded on the upper end of the casing and carries the knob or button 24" as before while sealing the opening through which it passes by means of the flangev 22 and gasket 23 as'in the other construction. With this formof the invention there is no necessity for draining the cup shaped sleeve 25, for the piston 29 effectively prevents the passage of lubricant therebeyondi With this form of the invention also there is a saving in the cost of manufacture by reason of the tube 14: being made separate from the nipple 12 and in its present form being capable of being made from an ordinary piece of tubing spun or spread to produce the flaring flange at its lower end. The operation of this construction is the same as described.

What I claim as new and desire to secure 8 by Letters Patent is: a 4

1. An indicator .for lubricating systems, comprising a casing, a pump connection terminating in a tube within the casing, a tubulariplunger surrounding the tube, there being an outlet passageway leading from the 'casing, said tube having an opening covered bythe plunger in one position thereof and uncovered in another position thereof to "which it is moved by the pressure of the 9 lubricant throughthe inlet passageway to a position uncovering the said opening, there being an outlet passageway from the casing through which the'lubricant is discharged, andexternal means operated by plunger.

3. An indicator forlub'ricating systems, comprising a casing, a pump connection threaded to the lower end of the casing, a tube on the pump connection with its bore 1 forming a continuation of the inlet passage way through the pump connection, a tubular plunger slidably fitting around the tube andxadapted to be lifted by the pressure of the lubricant admitted through the inlet 1 passageway, there being an opening in the tube covered by the plunger in its lower position and uncovered by theplunger in its upper position, a screw cap threaded on the upper end ofthe casing, and a stem moved 1 the plunger to indicate the position of the by the plunger and passing through the screw cap.

4. An indicator for lubricating systems, comprising a casing, a pump connection threaded in the lower end thereof and forming an inlet passageway, a tube forming an'extension of the pump connection with its bore constituting acontinuation of the inlet passageway, a tubular plunger slidably fitting upon the tube and adapted-to be lifted by the pressure of the lubricant pump through the inlet passageway, there being an opening in the tube covered by the plunger in its lower position and uncovered by the plunger in its upperposition, there being an outlet passageway leading from the casing, a screw cap fitting on the upper end of the casing, a stem slidably passing through the screw cap, and a piston fitting within the upper end of the casing and engaging the stem and the tubular plunger respectively.

5. An indicator for lubricating systems, comprising a casing, a pump connection threaded on the lower end thereof and forming an inlet passageway and having a tapering end, there being a flaring seat formed within the casing near the lower end thereof, a tube having a flaring end fitting upon the flaring seat and engaged by the tapering end of the pump connection, a tubular plunger slidably fitting on the tube and adapted to be lifted by the pressure of the lubricant admitted through the inlet passageway, there being an opening in the tube covered by the plunger in its lower position and uncovered by the plunger in its upper position, a screw cap threaded on the upper end of the casing, a stem passing therethrough, and a grooved piston fitting in the upper end of the casing and engaging the stem and the tubular plunger respectively.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE'WILLIAM MORRIS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS WILLIAMS, F. H. FOSTER. 

